Aquaman Casts Michael Beach in Key Supporting Role

With production in full swing for DC’s Aquaman, Michael Beach has just joined the film in a new key role. While the DCEU has had a bumpier ride making its way to cinemas than the MCU had, it’s slowly starting to take shape. After the critical failures of the previous films in the series, Wonder Woman has finally given DC and Warner Bros. the hit they were looking for. While their previous films were financially successful, the latest film is riding a huge wave of positive support and buzz pointing towards a better future for the shared universe.

The DCEU’s next venture, however, may have a harder time. Aquaman doesn’t have the name recognition or fan support that Wonder Woman has long enjoyed. Still, DC likely learned a thing or two from Wonder Woman and have plenty of time to turn next year’s film into the swashbuckling adventure we’ve been promised. Filming has been underway for some time now in Australia, which has led to more and more tidbits about production leaking out. Earlier today, we learned another young actor has been cast as a child version of our hero, and now a more seasoned name has been added to the film.

Deadline is reporting that Michael Beach (Sons of Anarchy, The 100) has officially boarded Aquaman. On the surface, his role is that of Jesse Kane, a modern day pirate who runs afoul of Aquaman. This isn’t the first time we’ve heard Beach’s name in relation to the film, however, with speculation pointing towards him possibly playing the father of the movie’s villain, Black Manta.

Last month, Beach was spotted in Australia with Black Manta actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and gave fans a cryptic response when asked if he was playing the character’s father. In The New 52, Black Manta’s origin was updated so that Aquaman is responsible for his father’s death. While the whole thing was an accident and happened only after Manta attacked Aquaman’s own father, this could be the catalyst in the film for Black Manta becoming a supervillain.

Like many a superhero movie, Aquaman will feature a huge ensemble of actors. Beach is just the latest addition, alongside stars such as Abdul-Mateen II, Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, and Patrick Wilson. A number of older actors have also joined the production in a move that’s becoming increasingly common as superhero films gain momentum in the Hollywood mainstream. Dolph Lundgren and Nicole Kidman will both have key roles in the new film, showing that it will truly be a generational affair.

This also been more talk of DC tackling an R-Rated film sometime in the future. With it being so early in the game for Aquaman and horror-director James Wan at the helm, it wouldn’t be surprising if the violent world of Aquaman was DC’s first venture into the increasingly popular territory. Hopefully, we’ll learn more about the film soon as production for Aquaman continues.